The Academy For The Aces: BOOK 1 OF THE ACE SERIES

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Faith's voice held a mixture of confusion and concern as she asked, "What just happened...?"

Sitting on his bed, Andrew exhaled heavily, a sense of unease written across his features. His fingers raked through his hair as he replied, "I'm not sure, Faith, but whatever it is, I think it's worse than we predicted." He glanced at her with a determined look. "Let's meet up with the others in the library. You still have the page, right?"

Faith nodded in response, clutching the missing page tightly in her hand. As they made their way to the library, a nagging question tugged at her mind, and she couldn't resist asking, "Is controlling the creatures of Arden one of your abilities?"

Andrew's gaze turned introspective, his voice tinged with a hint of somber acknowledgment. "Yes," he answered, his tone carrying a weight of responsibility. "However, my Grandfather has a lot more control over them. I'm assuming that's how Onion was able to escape."

As they reached the library and opened the door, their friends had already gathered inside, wearing expressions of excitement and urgency. In unison, they exclaimed, "You wouldn't believe what we found!"

Faith and Andrew exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between them. "Same here," Andrew echoed with a nod. As the group conversed, Dr. Watson's voice joined the discussion, adding an unexpected dimension to the situation. "Same here," he stated, his presence reminding them of the mysterious circumstances they were entangled in.

The unsettling feeling that had nagged at Faith before returned as Dr. Watson's voice reached her ears. She glanced around the room, assuming Onion has returned, but he was nowhere to be found. Andrew's whispered words pulled her attention back, and she looked at him, forcing herself to focus. "What's wrong, love?" he asked, his use of the endearment sending a flutter through her heart.

"It's nothing," Faith replied, trying to shake off the unease. She brushed it aside as mere imagination, unwilling to let it distract her at such a crucial moment.

Antheia's enthusiastic suggestion about Malcolm's surveillance gadget drew everyone's attention. Her excitement was infectious, even though the stakes were high. "Let's start with Malcolm's surveillance gadget thingy," Antheia exclaimed, rolling her eyes playfully at her excitement. "Life or death, guys, I know," she continued, her tone lightening the mood. "But we've got to admit, this is kind of exciting. We're making history here."

Romeo chimed in, "I disagree," and a soft snort followed, originating from a small dragon. The creature's presence added a touch of whimsy to the tense atmosphere. "Rhaegal also agrees," Romeo stated as if interpreting the dragon's thoughts.

Antheia's cheerfulness returned as she addressed the dragon, "Is this Rhaegal?" Her intent to pick up the dragon was curtailed by Andrew's interruption, refocusing their attention on the matter at hand. "Forget the dragon, Tia," Andrew interjected, his tone serious. "Let's focus on the matters at hand."

Dr. Watson's words resonated with authority, echoing Andrew's sentiment. "Prince Andrew is right," he affirmed, urging them to remain centered on their purpose. The group gathered around Malcolm's surveillance gadget, the skepticism evident on Daiyu's face as she voiced her doubts. "So? How are we going to see anything on this?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the camera-like device with its attached electronics.

Malcolm sighed, sensing the doubt in the air, and relented. "Alright, alright, fine," he conceded. "I had a bit of a magical touch." His gaze shifted to Romeo, seeking his assistance. "Romeo? If you will."

Romeo nodded and efficiently touched each of the "Surveillance" devices. One by one, images began to emerge from the lens, presenting a series of mundane scenes from the academy—a regular day of students studying, training, and sharing laughter. However, one image stood out from the rest. It showed Madame Lavigne and Mr. Florian engaged in a serious conversation outside of Mr. Florian's office. Mr. Florian held a book in his hand. Malcolm manipulated the device, and suddenly audio accompanied the visuals.

"Mr. Florian, no student must find out about this," Madame Lavigne's voice was stern, with an undertone of urgency.

In response, Mr. Florian's voice carried a sense of moral conflict, "But this is wrong. They must know."

The audio clip ended abruptly, and the scene took a bizarre twist. Just like Onion, Mr. Florian vanished into thin air, leaving the book behind. It tumbled to the floor, and Madame Lavigne calmly picked it up and walked away, as if nothing extraordinary had just occurred.

Faith's urgency was palpable as she spoke up, her voice urgent. "That book, we need that book."

Dr. Watson's calm presence reassured them as he calmly stated, "I have the book." The room was filled with a charged energy, a sense of anticipation and purpose. The group had just stumbled upon a significant clue, and the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, pushing them further into the heart of the mystery.

Dr. Watson placed the dusty book in the center of the table. Faith's skepticism was palpable, and she couldn't resist asking the question that was on everyone's minds, "How did you retrieve the book?" A sly smirk crept across Dr. Watson's face as he responded, "Let's just say I have a way with words." His enigmatic response elicited grins and raised eyebrows from the group

Andrew playfully patted Dr. Watson on the shoulder and remarked, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Dr. Watson?"

As the anticipation in the room grew, Faith picked up the book and blew off the dust, inadvertently causing a chorus of coughs from those around the table. With a careful hand, she opened the book, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Sherlock's name inscribed on the cover. She turned to a page, her heart racing even faster as she read the words, "To Faith Holmes."

Her curiosity piqued, and she began flipping through the pages, only to be met with space. "It's empty," Daiyu's voice carried a hint of disappointment.

Malcolm offered a different perspective, suggesting, "Maybe it was a gift?"

Faith's mind was racing as she continued to flip through the pages, her fingers tracing the empty parchment. "No, that can't be possible," she murmured. "Why would Madame Lavigne want an empty book?" Determination flared within her, and she kept turning the pages, a glimmer of hope fueling her search. And then, there it was—two simple words at the bottom of the last page: "Find Merlin." The room fell into a hushed silence as everyone processed the enigmatic message before them. The puzzle they were unraveling had just taken another unexpected turn, and the name "Merlin" now held a new significance in their quest.